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Sweden, why are you so awesome?

Oh my goodness, Swedish blogger Elisabeth Dunker took this photo of a slide in her town of Gothenburg. Just a neighborhood playground, no biggie! Would you be brave enough to slide down? Elisabeth's 11-year-old son Otto sits on a plastic bag to go faster.

65 comments:

Just curious re:Your favorite thing about Sweden - have you been taking Toby out to play every day rain or snow or shine? I've been consciously trying to get out for daily walks with my 4 month old (either in a sling or stroller) just to get her (and me) some fresh air.... but some days it's just SO uninviting out there! I'm sure she doesn't notice since she's warm and bundled - but I am seriously looking forward to spring!

I don't live in Sweden, but I do live in Eau Claire, WI and we actually have an old park that has two slides just like that - almost like dueling slides! I definitely loved going down them when I was little.

I've been trying to dream up feasible excuses to relocate to Sweden for years. They seem to be so child orientated over there and I'm pretty sure I'd have to be dragged away from a playground like that myself! x Becky

My boyfriend and I spent some time in Stockholm a few years ago, and I can attest that the playgrounds there -- among other things -- are incredible!! So creative and unusual and fun, and they seem to be everywhere...

That looks amazing! Sweden just seems like the coolest, most progressive place. My great-grandparents came over directly, and had 7 children in America. They were the coolest people I knew. I think the only thing I would not be able to handle about Sweden is the long, dark, seemingly never-ending cold cold winter!

My mother-in-law told me about this and I must admit, when my daughter was a baby she'd have the most amazing outdoor naps. We lived in Kelowna B.C at the time so, if after a walk, my daughter was still sleeping I'd push her into the backyard (where I could see her) and take care of things inside. I must say, I was a bit uneasy about it (even with a fenced yard). Okay, now this will sound crazy (I'll blame it on new motherhood and lack of sleep induced paranoia), but on more than one occasion, I had thoughts of large birds swooping down and grabbing her. That's when I knew that I needed more sleep. Anyway, I love the idea and love the pictures you posted. It seems old school and really speaks to the idea of a village raising a child. Great post.

I must concur. Amazing. I read the other blog you posted about the babies sleeping outside-wow. Can you imagine doing that in nyc? I think about how my mom told me that the first three month of my life she took me and my sisters to the hapmtons, and she said she would leave me in a little basket on the beach to sleep all the time. nowadays people would have tents, or send there Nanny back to the house the the child could nap. To this day, I always have my best napping outside on a beach. Sweden is amazing.

This awesome playground in Doylestown, PA isn't too far from NYC. It's called Kids Castle. This isn't my blog, but it has some good pics of the playground. http://lampesalots.blogspot.com/2011/08/kids-castle-doylestown.html

Sweden rocks. I work for a Swedish company and our whole campus follow the swedish design aesthetic. We have horses, and a huge man made lake with turtles and fish with coin feeders. I would move to Sweden for the excellent education system and the THREE years maternity leave! Alas, I am not too fond of long winters and I would miss the sun horribly :)

I studied in Sweden for a while and loved it, but it's not a perfect country! The country does have a lot of its priorities straight, but I found it's no use to idealize a place too much. I loved my experience in Sweden but there are beautiful things happening everywhere you go! Love you blog, Joanna xx

I would love to visit Sweden! I guess my last name, "Lindberg", is like the "Johnson" of Sweden. Wouldn't it be a blast to do a tour of Scandinavia? Sweden, Norway, Denmark... and then maybe swing over and visit Iceland because that country looks baller too.

Being a Swede and Stockholmer I can only agree about Sweden:) But really, we do have some long cold snowy winters here so we need to make up for that in everything we do! But I can honestly say, with three young children, that Stockholm city is extremely child friendly, with many parks and children everywhere even in the streets, if you ever want to visit. And I was glad to confirm that I also thought NYC was totally ok with children when we visited last spring, since everyone is so polite and service minded there. Caroline

I love long slides. We have a park near my house with slides shaped like dinosaurs (Vincent Lugo Park). As a kid, and sometimes even now, I'll take a piece of wax paper and sit on that to go faster. Oh the memories!

Swedens IS awesome! But so is North America. I am a Swede who grew up in Canada but have spent most of my adult life in Sweden. My first baby was born in Atlanta, GA, and my second in Stockholm, Sweden. I have had great - but very different - experiences in both places.

I recently did an interview for Hellobee on motherhood and maternity leave in Sweden - about gender-neutral pre-schools, our insanely good paid maternity leave, babies sleeping in strollers outside cafés, dressing kids for tons of outdoor play in all kinds of weather... http://minipiccolini.com/2012/06/interview/

Awesome! Reminds me of our WWI Memorial Park in North Attleboro, MA. For any Boston area readers, its a fabulous park! 3 playgrounds, sculptures, a giant sandbox that is like going to the beach, and a super long slide. Its also got a petting zoo, but, frankly, I find that part depressing b'c of the animals tiny little enclosures. The kids love feeding the animals though. http://playground-hoppingmass.blogspot.com/2012/09/julias-garden-and-playground-at-wwi.html

I am Swedish and it makes me proud to read all the positive comments about my country. I live in the very south of Sweden, very close to Denmark and the winters here in the south are lighter and shorter than up north, so it's not that bad. Come visit! And thanks for a wonedrful, interesting and inspiring blog, Joanna, I read it every day!

I'm Swedish by heritage and I studied abroad in Stockholm my junior year of college. You are so right - Sweden is amazing. It has its own flaws, obviously, but there is so much progressive, wonderful stuff going on there, everyone should visit :)

Wow! I was a little supprised going through my Google reader finding a picture of the slide in Plikta, Slottsskogen, Gothenburg. I used to play there when I was a kid! About a kilometer from that slide there was a similar slide decorated as a snake, sadly it was torn down a couple of years ago. Thanks for bringing back good memories :)

Very cool. It reminds me of a kindergarten in the town (near Frankfurt, Germany) where my dad now lives which has a similar slide leading from the first (US second) floor classroom out to the playground - how incredible would that be if you're small?!